


Unofficial First Date

by Manateequeem



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Casphardt Mini Bang (Fire Emblem), Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-24
Updated: 2020-11-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:55:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27699277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Manateequeem/pseuds/Manateequeem
Summary: That makes sense, Caspar is asking Linhardt on a date because he wants free food- not because he wants to ask Linhardt on a 'date' date.They’ll probably have a normal meal like friends and then just hang out at Linhardt’s apartment after like they always do. It doesn’t have to be weird or romantic (despite how much Linhardt refuses to admit he wants it to be) and it won’t result in Linhardt being broken-hearted, so what’s the problem?Why not just go on a ‘date’ with Caspar?
Relationships: Caspar von Bergliez/Linhardt von Hevring
Comments: 10
Kudos: 44
Collections: Casphardt Minibang 2020





	Unofficial First Date

**Author's Note:**

> hi! 
> 
> enjoy this silly fake-dating modern au written for the casphardt minibang 2020, accompanied by the wonderful art from both @divinememer on twitter and fhantomhives on tumblr !!

Linhardt folds a pillow over his ears and screams bloody murder. Someone has been ringing his doorbell repeatedly for the last minute straight and if they haven’t got the message by now- that Linhardt was _very purposefully_ avoiding opening the door- they are _never_ going to get that Linhardt does not intend to open up. Linhardt groans as he pulls himself out of bed, checking the time to see that it’s only 10am, which is a wholly unreasonable time to wake up on a Saturday, and forces his fluffy cat bed slippers on (they were a gift, okay?), dragging his feet towards the front door.

Whoever it was really has some nerve walking into Linhardt’s figurative dragon’s den at the worst possible hour of the day. Linhardt grabs the handle and pulls the door open to be met with an assault of azure, just the colour of the bright sky, and a wide smile calling his name in greeting. “Linhardt!”

Not to be dramatic- because Linhardt is anything but dramatic, typically remaining grounded and pragmatic, although admittedly perking up at the mention of his extensive research- but he’s starting to get off topic and that wasn’t the point. _The point_ is that Linhardt _was not dramatic_ , and so for him to be certain that his heart had stopped beating momentarily at the sight of his long-term best friend is not an exaggeration. See, Linhardt had a slight problem, and that problem went by the name of Caspar von Bergliez and had bright blue eyes and a smile that practically knocked the wind out of Linhardt’s lungs every time he saw it. And that proved to be a major problem, with how Caspar made it a point to smile brighter the sun whenever he saw Linhardt. Maybe there’s something wrong with my breathing, Linhardt thinks to himself, because his reaction to a damned _smile_ definitely isn’t normal.

However, right now it isn’t Caspar’s smile alone that devastates Linhardt- no, there’s something much more interesting than that. Caspar is standing in Linhardt’s apartment doorway at 10am on a Saturday dressed in a deep blue button up that hugs his form nicely, paired with dark jeans that look like they were personally made for Caspar- and he looked dashing. Not to mention the bouquet of violets- Linhardt’s favourite flower- in hand.

Don’t stutter, Linhardt warns himself as he opens his mouth to great Caspar, “C-Caspar, hi.” _Damn it._ Well, no one can really blame him for that one. “What’s got you all dolled up?” he asks, regaining his composure as he steps back to allow Caspar into his apartment.

Caspar easily strolls in and immediately takes a seat on Linhardt’s armchair that he has basically claimed as his own since the day Linhardt had moved in. “Long story short,” he begins, “I need you to go on a date with me.”

Linhardt’s heart stutters in his chest before beating at the devil’s pace as he looks at Caspar with a look of incredulity on his face, “What?” is all he can manage to get out of his mouth as his brain enters overdrive trying to work out what Caspar was saying.

Caspar laughs airily, like he hadn’t just asked his best friend of 14 years to go on a date with him, completely unprovoked, “Okay, maybe I’ll explain myself because you’re looking at me like I’ve sprouted a pair of wings.” Linhardt sits down across from Caspar and nods for him to continue, trying to settle down his panicking mind so he can _listen._ “So,” Caspar starts, cutting himself off with a laugh, “I don’t even know where to begin!”

“Caspar-“ Linhardt speaks dangerously, trying to look at any place in the room that _isn’t_ Caspar. Yeah, that broken wall clock is a thousand times more interesting all of a sudden.

“Sorry!” Caspar raises his hands defensively, “Do you know that restaurant?”

“Vague.”

“Let me finish!” Caspar huffs, “The super expensive one we definitely cannot afford on a regular basis.” Linhardt’s deadpan expression doesn’t change, “You know, it has like, three fountains inside. Maybe more, but I don’t make a point of counting every fountain. It has a really stupid name that we _always_ make fun of-“

“Oh, The Empress!” Linhardt announces happily. They did talk shit about that restaurant on a very regular basis, whether it be about the creepy black-haired guy who worked there or the exorbitant number of fountains they seemed to have.

“Yes, The Empress! So, here’s the good part.” Caspar leans forward in his chair, “Apparently the owner is celebrating her anniversary and she’s _super_ in love, so they’re giving away free food!”

“And this means you and I have to go on a date because...?”

Caspar sighs dramatically and drops his head back against the headrest, “ _Because,”_ he starts, “the free food is only for couples! For a smart guy, you take a while to catch on to what I’m saying.”

That makes sense, Caspar is asking Linhardt on a date because he wants free food- not because he wants to ask Linhardt on a _date_ date. They’ll probably have a normal meal like friends and then just hang out at Linhardt’s apartment after like they always do. It doesn’t have to be weird or romantic (despite how much Linhardt refuses to admit he wants it to be) and it won’t result in Linhardt being broken-hearted, so what’s the problem? Why not just go on a ‘date’ with Caspar?

“You came here dressed like you expected me to say yes.” Linhardt says as he motions to Caspar’s form with his hand, because saying a simple yes would be too eager and be a dead giveaway that Linhardt wants to go on a date with Caspar for reasons than food. He had an appearance to keep up.

“Are you saying no?” Caspar asks, the corners of his mouth tilting downwards slightly.

“Well, n-no, I’m not refusing-“

“Great!” Caspar beams, “Oh, I got these for you.” Caspar steps over to Linhardt’s side and passes him the bouquet of violets, fingertips brushing lightly against Linhardt’s own.

“These are my favourite…” Linhardt muses, mostly to himself.

“Damn right they are! Only the best for my date.” Caspar bows mockingly before heading to Linhardt’s bedroom. “C’mon, we need to pick an outfit out for you.” He calls over his shoulder.

Linhardt remains seated, listening to Caspar’s retreating footsteps as he smells the violets. If Caspar keeps treating Linhardt like an actual date, things could get dangerous. Linhardt, however, chooses to ignore that thought because even if it’s only for a day, he wants to be selfish and see if dating Caspar lives up to all of his hopes and dreams.

He stands up with a loud sigh and follows Caspar into his bedroom, “I can pick my own clothes, Caspar.”

* * *

Three fountains was a major understatement, three fountains now seemed like a pauper’s business, what with how The Empress was in fact littered with- not three- but _six_ fountains, one in each corner of the restaurant and two grand ones lining the entrance.

“I can’t believe we’re actually going to eat in _The Empress._ ” Caspar snickers as their waitress, a young lady who couldn’t be any older than either of them with long brown waves and green eyes, leads them to their table. “Odds are I push you into the fountain?” Caspar asks playfully.

“ _One_ of the fountains.” Linhardt corrects with a chuckle, “I am not playing that game with you in here, Caspar.”

“This is your table.” The waitress interrupts them with a smile as the three come to a stop in a more secluded area in the back corner of the restaurant. _Wow,_ is all Linhardt can so eloquently think as he looks at the extravagant table before him. They’re seated right beside a floor length window which reveals a gorgeous lake outside, and the table itself is all things elegant, with a wine-coloured tablecloth and sleek dinnerware lining the top. What draws Linhardt’s eye the most is the single red rose in full bloom displayed in all its glory in a vase in the middle of the table, standing beside an ornate lit candle. It was all so romantic- _so date like-_ and Linhardt’s heart only continues to perform somersaults as Caspar pulls out a chair and looks Linhardt directly in the eye as he speaks.

“For you, my love.” And he fucking _winks,_ as if to punctuate his sentence and Linhardt thinks that he is going to die of some strange mix of embarrassment and adoration right then and there.

“Ca-“ Linhardt opens his mouth to say _something- anything_ to get Caspar to stop, for his own heart’s sake.

He is, however, cut off by the happy squeal of the waitress, “You two are such a cute couple!” She muses and Caspar has the nerve to thank her so naturally as if they really were just a regular couple out on a date, and damn it, Linhardt wishes this were _real._

Linhardt sits in the plush chair Caspar pulls out for him without a complaint, relaxing slightly when a pair of hands squeeze his shoulders gently and reassuringly before the owner walks around the table to sit across from him.

“Here are your menus, I’ll be back in just a few moments to take your order.” She smiles before leaving the pair to their own devices.

Linhardt wonders if he should ask Caspar about how _romantic_ he was being earlier, but he is quickly cut off by his ‘date’, “Pass me your hand.”

“Huh?” Why would Caspar want his hand?

“C’mon, just do it!” Caspar continues to plead, blue eyes flashing upwards to bore into Linhardt’s own. Linhardt narrows his eyes slightly but decides to oblige anyway, placing one of his pale hands on the table near where Caspar’s hands are resting. Caspar takes the hand and wraps his own around it, smiling contently and announcing “There.”

“…Why are you holding my hand?” Linhardt asks slowly, swallowing his panic and ignoring just how _warm_ Caspar’s hand it.

“Duh,” Caspar starts, like the answer is clear as day, “we’re on a _date_ , Lin! I don’t wanna end up actually paying if we get caught for not being couple-y enough.” He hesitates, lifting his hand slowly, “Unless you’re uncomfortable with it, of course, if you are I’d be happy to sto-“

“No!” Linhardt answers, clamping his free hand over Caspar’s and his own to stop the other from lifting his hand, “I-I’m fine with it. I was just curious, is all.” He hopes that his blush isn’t to obvious in the back of his mind, too preoccupied with the happy grin on Caspar’s face to really care.

Their waitress- Dorothea is her name, they learn- returns and takes their order (only after having teased the couple for a little bit) and brings them their plates along with a bottle of wine that sits invitingly between the two of them. All the while, Caspar doesn’t let go of Linhardt’s hand.

-

“Does anyone _actually_ like wine,” Caspar asks as he sets his fork and knife down, dubiously staring at the bottle, “because as far as I’m concerned, wine tastes kinda like shit.” He concludes happily and Linhardt smiles at him with one eyebrow raised slightly as Caspar reaches for the bottle anyway.

“You’re still going to drink it?”

“It’s free, isn’t it? Free stuff always tastes better.” He nods sagely, and Linhardt is painfully reminded once again that they’re only on this date because it’s _free._ Despite how lovely the meal they shared was and the fact that Caspar’s hand was on his own _the entire time_ (and still is, thank you very much)- this still isn’t a _real date._ Caspar opens the bottle and pours them each a glass, taking a sip and instantly grimacing. “Okay, maybe I was wrong. This is disgusting.”

Linhardt thinks that it’s stupid- beyond stupid- that his heart still manages to flutter incessantly even when Caspar is pulling the most ridiculous face. He takes a sip from his own glass with a frown, attempting to cover up the red he’s sure is beginning to dust his cheeks.

“Maybe dessert will help cleanse your palette.” Dorothea smiles as she brings what Linhardt not-so-attentively notices is only a single plate.

“Thanks Dorothea!” Caspar lights up, seemingly not caring about how there is _only one plate_ , but maybe Linhardt was just being pedantic. He sets his wine glass down on the table and looks at Caspar who is practically drooling as he stares at the gooey fudge brownie on the plate before him.

“Enjoy!” Dorothea leaves and the two are once again left to their own devices.

“There’s only one plate.” Linhardt decides to point out, despite how Caspar has already begun to blissfully eat.

Caspar pauses, spoon halfway up to his mouth already, “…Yeah?”

Linhardt motions vaguely with his hands and hopes that Caspar gets what he’s trying to say. Honestly, he didn’t know what he was saying himself.

“Oh!” Caspar sits up straight, “I get it. We gotta act more couple-y, don’t we?” The next thing Linhardt knows, Caspar is pushing the spoon right up to his lips. “Open wide, Lin!”

What the _hell_ is happening? Why is Caspar attempting to feed Linhardt in a _public_ place? Linhardt’s mind is tied in knots and Caspar just keeps on smiling, like he always does, and Linhardt is ninety-nine percent sure that he is about to _die._

“Hey,” Caspar squeezes his hand and brings his attention back to him, “you can relax. Nobody’s gonna notice anything, they’re all too busy with each other.” He smiles, “Besides, we always share food. This is no different!”

Linhardt thinks that it’s funny how usually he’s the one who grounds Caspar and tells him to slow down when he’s running too fast for his own good- but this time it’s Caspar who helps him unwind and _enjoy himself_. They balance each other out. He looks around to see that Caspar’s right- they’re surrounded by couples who are much too enthralled in each other to give a single shit about what Caspar and Linhardt are doing. He lets out a breath he didn’t know he was holding and hesitantly opens his mouth so Caspar can feed him a spoonful of the warm brownie.

 _It’s good-_ that’s all his brain manages to think as he slowly chews the gooey delight in his mouth, swallowing after. He moves to look up at Caspar, opening his mouth to speak and is promptly hit with a stare that feels like a thousand trucks. Caspar has an elbow on the table and is ever so slightly leaning in, and what _fucking devastates_ Linhardt is the look of absolute adoration on his face.

Caspar snaps out of whatever trance he’s in quickly, “It’s good, right?”

“Mhm.” Linhardt hums, deciding that he was absolutely going to save that face Caspar was making in the vault. Caspar continues to stare expectantly at Linhardt. “…What?”

“Nothing.” Caspar averts his eyes quickly, his face completely blush-stained at this point.

“It clearly isn’t ‘nothing’, Caspar.”

Caspar’s eyes flicker back and forth for a moment and he takes in a deep breath before quickly muttering, “People in relationships have, like, a mutual thing going, right?”

“I’m not sure I follow.” Linhardt’s eyes glimmer playfully as he takes another spoonful of brownie.

“You know, I fed you so it’s only fair th-“

“Caspar, are you asking me to feed you?”

“I’m just saying!” Caspar holds his hands up, red hot flush standing out vividly against his soft blue hair, and Linhardt can’t help the laughter that pours out of him, melodic and _happy._ ”Obviously, if you don’t want to then-“

“Caspar, just shut up.” Linhardt manages through his laugher, squeezing Caspar’s hand in his own as he pushes a heaped spoon past Caspar’s lips, effectively ending his senseless spluttering. _This is so ridiculous_ , Linhardt thinks to himself, and yet he’d trade a large number of things if only to stretch out this moment, even if it was only for a little longer.

“What a cute couple!” A pink haired girl on the table opposite from them coos.

This time, it’s Linhardt who doesn’t bat an eye as he replies with a simple, “Thanks.” Caspar’s fingers tighten around Linhardt’s.

“They’re _so_ cute, aren’t they Mari?” she asks the timid looking girl who nods happily. “I’ll let you both in on a little secret,” she continues as Caspar finishes off the dessert with ease, “you know that theatre down the street?”

“The ancient looking one?” Caspar asks between a mouthful of brownie.

“That’s the one- they have two for one tickets for couples! You both should totally go, Mari and me are definitely heading there later.” She grins.

Linhardt thinks about it for a moment- him and Caspar have watched plenty of movies together, of course they have. But watching a movie on the premise that it would be a date was something completely different from sitting in old pyjamas and eating burnt popcorn at home. And yet, he can’t stop himself as his mouth starts to move, asking Caspar, “Want to go?”

“Duh!” Caspar grins, replying easily. “Dinner and a show!”

Linhardt snorts at Caspar’s eagerness, it would never get old to him. Something in the back of his mind is nagging him, eating away at him, _screaming_ at him- saying that _this is a terrible idea_. It was dangerous, to fuel his fantasies like this, but Linhardt never said that he wasn’t a selfish person. If Caspar was willing to go on a theatre date with him, who was he to refuse?

* * *

“ _My secret affair_ , really?” Linhardt deadpans as he stares at the pair of tickets in Caspar’s hand.

“Hear me out!” Caspar begins, "This is actually _way_ more than a gushy romance film! It’s about the perils of-“

“Uh huh.” Linhardt laughs and grabs Caspar’s shirt sleeve, pulling him towards the snack counter, “Let’s just get the popcorn.”

Casual touching like that was pretty coupley in Caspar’s opinion. Very coupley indeed. In fact, if Caspar did say so himself, the date was going pretty well, even if Linhardt didn’t think it was real. Don’t get him wrong, originally the date was just to get some free food and spend some time with Linhardt, but Caspar was finding it increasingly harder to not want this date to be _real._ Maybe he just had to admit to himself that the free food was just a cover up for the fact that Caspar very much so had a crush on his best friend. Or maybe he could just enjoy the date for as long as Linhardt was willing to have him, and then go home and cry over a tub of ice cream because Linhardt would never return his feelings instead. Yeah, the ice cream plan sounded good.

Linhardt tugs at Caspar’s sleeve again to get his attention, and Caspar steels himself for what’s to come. _Get your shit together, this is probably the only chance you’re gonna get._

“Sweet or salty?”

“Both.”

-

“This is such bullshit, why wouldn’t she just tell him how she feels?” Linhardt murmurs to Caspar, leaning his cheek on his fist as his eyelids threaten to droop shut. Caspar has to admit that he wasn’t paying much attention to the plot of the film, his mind was far too occupied with the man sitting beside him and the oh-so cliché brushing if their hands as they reached into the same criminally overpriced bag of popcorn.

“She doesn’t want to screw up their friendship!” Caspar replies almost immediately, and he chooses to ignore the slight raise of Linhardt’s eyebrows because _damn,_ maybe that hit too close to home and maybe he answered a _little_ too fast for someone defending a fictional character.

Linhardt doesn’t reply to that, instead he slowly picks up a singular piece of popcorn from the bag Caspar’s pretty sure he’s clutching for dear life at this point, and just… _chews._ Then he swallows and Caspar can see the bob of his throat as he opens his mouth and then closes it. And then finally- _finally-_ he speaks, “Telling him wouldn’t screw up their friendship. She doesn’t even know how he feels about her, for all she knows, he could like her back.”

 _What. The. Fuck._ Caspar is absolutely not being dramatic at all when he describes his heart as practically beating out of his chest, because did Linhardt just say that? Okay, maybe he was reading way too far into it, but it definitely sounded like they weren’t talking about the stupid movie anymore, right? _Right?_

 _Play it cool! Don’t make it obvious you’re flustered!_ “Huh?” _Nice one, Caspar._

Linhardt looks at Caspar with eyes that he can’t describe, something like disappointment, but maybe that was just the darkness of the theatre obscuring his vision. He just shakes his head, yawning, “Nothing.” He quickly changes the topic, “I’m not sure how much more of his film I can take. Lend me your shoulder?”

Caspar acts instinctively, scooting as close to Linhardt as the armrest between them allows, and letting the other rest his head on his shoulder. It’s something so natural for both of them- something unspoken- but this time feels different. Caspar can’t manage to shake that _look_ , and all of a sudden he’s hyper-aware of the soft puffs of air near his neck and the tickle of green hair by his chin.

“Caspar.” Linhardt whispers, and Caspar fucking _flinches, “_ You seem really wound up. Your shoulders are stiff.” He nuzzles his head a little, “Not a very comfortable pillow.”

Caspar was practically begging for some of that confidence he had earlier in the day to come back and surge right through him. The Goddess, however, decides to mock him instead so he’s left with the least desirable option- running away. Caspar was a self proclaimed _opposite_ of a coward, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

“Oh,” Caspar laughs nervously, “it must be because we’re all outta popcorn. I’ll go get some more, lemme know what I missed when I’m back.”

Linhardt reluctantly lifts his head, letting Caspar squeeze past him, “Like either of us are actually paying any attention to this thing.”

-

“You and your boyfriend seem like such a cute couple.” A lady beside Linhardt comments with a knowing smile on her face, “Let me guess, first date?”

“…Bingo.” Linhardt replies, not really knowing how to respond, and also getting dangerously used to hearing Caspar be addressed as is boyfriend.

“It explains the nerves.” She giggles, “Don’t worry though, he clearly loves you as much as you love him.”

 _Love._ Linhardt’s mind freezes- when this was all about a silly little crush, it didn’t seem so bad. But _love_ \- that was something else entirely. He’d known Caspar his entire life, and yet he’d never attached the concept of _love_ with his name. _Caspar,_ when he thought about Caspar his heart felt warm and fuzzy and _light and-god damn it,_ maybe he was in love with Caspar.

The lady goes back to watching the shitty film and Linhardt slouches back into his seat. He was in fucking _love_ with Caspar, and it took an old lady and a fake date for him to realise it.

“I’m back Lin! Sorry it took so long!”

He was so fucked.

* * *

“That was an interesting ending-“

“They didn’t even get together!” Caspar spins on his heels to face Linhardt.

“They stayed friends.” Caspar opens his mouth to say something, “It was bittersweet. I guess.” Linhardt finishes lamely and Caspar sucks in some air through his teeth, feeling something heavy weighing down on the both of them.

The sun is setting now and it casts a gorgeous light on Linhardt’s face. Caspar wants to _die- why was he so pretty?_ But that isn’t very important, Caspar supposes, because the date was _over_. There are no more discounts, no more offers-no more excuses to keep this façade up, just so Caspar could ‘date’ Linhardt for a little longer. The date is over and Caspar didn’t even muster up the courage to ask Linhardt out properly, and he’d never get the chance again.

It’s funny, how the sun reflects off the river beside them so beautifully and it’s all so fucking romantic and yet Caspar feels like something’s just died inside of him.

“Do you want to go on a boat ride?” Linhardt asks suddenly, the words tumbling out of his mouth, and Caspar’s 99% sure that his own mouth is hanging wide open when he turns to face Linhardt again, butterflies exploding in his stomach.

_A boat ride? Why was Linhardt asking Caspar on a boat ride? Doesn’t Linhardt want the date to end?_

Linhardt must have picked up on Caspar’s confusion, quickly pointing towards the wooden boats floating along the river to their side. “Boat ride?” He repeats and Caspar’s certain he hears an uncharacteristic crack to his voice near the end.

Caspar looks towards the vessels, noticing that the only ones on the boats were very much so couples. No friends in sight and Linhardt was asking him to go together. Caspar’s eyes flicker up to meet Linhardt’s, looking at him uncertainly as he clarifies something, mostly for the sake of his own heart that seems to have revived at the thought of Linhardt wanting to spend more time with him, “There isn’t a…ya know, a couple’s discount for the boat rides. It’s full price. And for couples.”

Caspar gulps and it feels like years before Linhardt answers him with a simple, “I know.” He lets out a breath he doesn’t even know he’s holding, as sheer, unadulterated _joy_ overcomes him. “You promised me a full date.”

“Let’s go find a boat then!” Caspar shakily offers his hand to Linhardt, and to his surprise, Linhardt takes it.

Finding a boat to hire is easy enough, an over enthusiastic lady gladly renting a small boat to the both of them for a pretty extortionate price (which is completely worth it, Caspar later concludes). It’s boarding the boat that raises some issues- Linhardt gracefully finding his seat on the boat and watching as Caspar wobbles, finding his balance.

“Use my hand for balance.” Linhardt laughs at the look of concentration on Caspar’s face.

“I’m already holding one of your hands, Lin!”

“So use the other one!”

“Oh, right.” Caspar laughs breathlessly, taking both of Linhardt’s hands as he stands on the platform at the end of the boat, finding his feet and using all of his power to will away the blush painting his cheeks. “Thanks.” He smiles, and Linhardt grins back and Caspar feels like he’s going to fall out of the boat again.

“Are you sure you’re not going to fall?” Linhardt asks, reluctantly pulling his hands back and passing Caspar the oar. “Not that I’d be complaining if you did fall- it would be a memorable end to the date.”

“I’m fine, see!” Caspar spins on his feet, holding the oar in one hand before coming back to face Linhardt, who sits comfortably on the boat bench across from him, legs stretched out.

“Nice trick, but I still think you’re going to fall at some point.” Linhardt says, placing his palms on the floor behind him as he looks out at the other boats passing by. He can see Caspar staring at him out of the corner of his eye. “What?” He asks, looking back at Caspar, who stops pushing the oar for a moment.

Caspar’s gaze snaps back up to meet Linhardt’s, and eloquently replies with another, “What?”

“ _What?”_ Linhardt repeats, and there it was, that airy laugh with a little snort at the end that sets Caspar’s mind into frenzy. _Fuck it, no point even trying to suppress the blush_.

“I was just thinking,” Caspar begins, absolutely no idea what he’s about to say, because he can’t exactly say _oh, I was just thinking about how much I want to marry my best friend haha_ , “this is very romantic.”

_What. What just came out of his mouth._

“It is.” Linhardt agrees easily, “I mean, it is a date after all.” Deep blue eyes connect with Caspar’s and his heart beats at a pace that shouldn’t be humanly possible, “A pretty fancy one, at that. Dinner and a show. And a boat ride to finish it all off- you know,” Linhardt’s voice turns soft and his eyes grow determined before he continues, and for the billionth time, Caspar holds his breath again, “I don’t think I’d be upset if you asked me on another dat-“

_Splash!_

And with that, Caspar is in the water and the words that just left Linhardt’s mouth are left floating in the empty air, quickly being replaced by laughter bubbling in his throat as Caspar resurfaces.

“I called it!” Linhardt says between gasps of air, leaning over the boat to help pull Caspar up. “I told you this would happen! I’m always right.” He concludes.

“We’ll see about that.” Caspar grins manically, sliding his hand up further to reach Linhardt’s sleeve.

Linhardt looks down to Caspar’s hand, “…No.” He speaks slowly, eyes glistening playfully as he looks back up, “Caspar, I’m warning yo- Caspar!”

Caspar pulls him into the water with him, ignoring the judgemental gazes of the couples on the boats surrounding them, pulling Linhardt close to help him float. Linhardt splutters between mouthfuls of water, and Caspar thinks for moment- _maybe I shouldn’t have pulled my date into the water with me-_ but the brilliant smile that Caspar’s been seeing more and more of returns and Linhardt’s grabbing his hand and pulling him to the riverbank.

* * *

“How did we end up soaked, laying in a random field at the end of what was meant to be a fancy date?” Caspar laughs as Linhardt slowly wrings the water out of his hair.

“I don’t think we’re suited to fancy dates anyway.” Linhardt smiles, and Caspar’s heart feels just about ready to explode because, _yeah_ , this really was a date and neither was denying it anymore.

The sun had fully set, and both of their outfits are almost certainly ruined by murky river water, but despite all of that- Caspar can’t wipe the stupid grin off his face.

“Hey, come lie down next to me!” Linhardt turns his head, raising one eyebrow at Caspar, “I’m getting lonely without my date.” He clarifies, heart beating quickly in his chest.

Linhardt rolls his eyes, the upturn of the edges of his lips saying something different. “You don’t have to ask me twice.” He plops down beside Caspar with a sigh, “What a long day.”

Caspar glances at him from the corner of his eye, “You had fun though, right?”

“No, it was the worst.” Caspar elbows Linhardt lightly in the side, “I’m kidding!” He laughs, pausing before speaking again, “It was fun. We should do this again, I think.”

 _“_ I think so too!” Caspar breathes out quickly.

Linhardt’s eyes widen slightly, and he looks taken aback before regaining his composure, “That’s good…great. I’m glad we’re on the same page then.” It goes silent and the only thing Caspar can hear is the beating of his own heart before Linhardt speaks again, “Look up there,” he points up at a cluster of stars with his pointer finger and Caspar’s eyes follow, “that’s Andromeda.”

“Yeah?”

“It represents trust and love- and honesty. Amazing how visible it is tonight.”

 _Trust, love and honesty._ Linhardt was practically setting this whole thing up for Caspar, and he wasn’t one to back down from a fight.

Caspar rolls over so he’s facing Linhardt now. He’s not at all put together, styled hair now scruffy and wet and shirt thoroughly drenched- and yet this time it’s Linhardt’s heart that’s beating a little too fast in a strange mix of anticipation and adoration. “What are you doing?” he asks softly.

“I think,” Caspar begins slowly as Linhardt turns to meet his gaze halfway, “ I’m going to be honest too.”

“Are you finally going to admit that you _did_ drop my spare toothbrush in toilet three years ago?” Linhardt whispers.

“Wh-Lin I’m being serious here!” He holds both of Linhardt’s hands in his, “I mean, yeah I did, but that isn’t important right now.”

Linhardt narrows his eyes at that, but there’s a deep blush on his cheeks now, “Okay, keep going.”

Caspar takes a deep breath- _it’s now or never-_ maybe he’s riding the high of falling off a fucking rowboat, but now that he’d been on a full date with Linhardt, his _best friend_ , he simply cannot imagine himself not having this everyday. So he had to tell him.

“I am in love with you, Lin. I think I always have been- even those times you’d tell me to shut up while you read when we were younger, or when you wouldn’t come to the gym with me because you hate working out- I love you-“ Caspar stops for a second, noticing that Linhardt doesn’t say anything, “-even if you don’t feel the same, I just had to tell you- because today has been special for me, and- I mean, I’m rambling now, but-“

“Goddess, just shut up-“ Linhardt cuts Caspar off in the best way he can think, pressing his lips against Caspar’s and feeling the smile he loves so much on his own, everything in the world feeling like it has fallen into place.

Caspar breaks away after a moment, ecstasy written all over his face, “That was probably the best shut up yet.” He says breathlessly.

Linhardt rolls his eyes affectionately once more, “If you couldn’t tell, because you do often need clarifying, I love you too.”

And at that, Caspar actually _cheers_. “Man, you don’t know how nervous I’ve been all day! You should’ve told me sooner!”

“You should’ve told _me_ sooner.” Linhardt grins, grasping Caspar’s hands tighter.

“Let’s go on another date.” Caspar decides happily.

“Now? Not that I’m complaining.”

“Duh. We’ll go on a _real_ date this time- not a fancy one, but instead one that fits _us._ You can come to my apartment and we can play video games and eat ice cream.” Caspar looks at Linhardt expectantly.

“That sounds perfect.” Linhardt says as he leans in once more.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you so much for reading! find me on twt @manateequeem !
> 
> also, pls check out the wonderful artists mentioned above!
> 
> (https://twitter.com/DivineMemer/status/1331326739721687042?s=19


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